When do you prefer pen and paper over mobile apps or software? I was recently asked this question and it made me realize how different the two mediums are with certain tasks. I personally cannot imagine using a mobile app to figure out a math problem, or pen and paper to write a paper. Yet there are times I’d like to save notes written on paper and be able to reference them electronically. Fortunately, LiveScribe recently debuted a new wifi “smartpen” meant to bridge those two mediums together and provide an alternative to a clunky stylus.
The LiveScribe Sky wifi pen instantly digitizes anything you write and sends it via wifi to a mobile device. It can be synced with the Evernote application, making it very easy to reference for later use. It also has the capability to record sound as you are writing, which makes it perfect for taking notes in a lecture or presentation. You can also tap the notes on the paper and the audio will play from when the notes were being written, which may help you decode sloppy text.
This smartpen must be used with special paper because a camera, built into the pen, records the position based on tiny dots within the paper. The writing is scanned at 72-dpi resolution and once uploaded to Evernote, can be searched. Currently this pen is available in 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB capacities. Users also get 500 MB of storage through a partnership with Evernote.
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